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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

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THE  REAL  CHRISTIAN  DISTINGUISHED  FROM 
HYPOCRITES. 


DISCOURSE, 


FROM 


REVELATIONS, 

chap.  ill.  i. 


By  Rev.  THOMAS' DAVIDSON,  A.  M. 

Minifter  of  Braintree,  England. 


PUBLISHED    IN     SCOTLAND,    BY    A    SOCIETY    FOR 
DISSEMINATING   RELIGIOUS  TRACTS. 


Printed  and  sold  by  SAMUEL  ETKERIDGE, 
t8Q2. 


(£/•  THE  following  Difcourfe  was  publifhed  In  Scot" 
land,  in  1 798,  by  "  The  Society  for  publijhing  Religions 
Tracls,"  inflitutedin  July  1793,  cof fifing  of2$o  Mem* 
hers.  The  objecl  of  this  Society  is  to  publifh  and  diflribute 
fuch  Tracls  as  appear  calculated  to  promote  evangelical 
knowledge  and  holinefs. 

From  a  fund  raifed  partly  by  a  quarterly  fubfcrtption  of 
the  Members,  and  partly  by  donations,  the  Society,  in  the 
ccurfe  of  the  firjl  five  years  after  its  eflablijhmeni,  print- 
ed and  circulated  large  editions  of  TWENTY  SEVEN  dif- 
ferent pamphlets,  of  which  that  herewith  prefented  to  the 
public,  was  one* 


discourse,  m 


Rev.  iii.  r. 

And  unto  the  angel  of  the  Church  in  Sardis  write,   Tkefe  i 
faith  He  thai  hath  the  fez  en  Spirits  of  God  and  the  fevenfars, 
I  k?ioio  thy  works,  thai  thou,  baft  a  name  that  thou  livefi,  and 
art  dead,  &c, 

J_  HIS  charge  refpefls  private  Chriftians,  for  it  is  brought 
againft  the  church  as  well  as  the  minifter  :  and  in  treating  of 
this  part  of  the  fubjecT:,  I  fhall  fet  it  before  you  in  a  two  ibid 
point  of  view.  Firit,  as  ftrictly  and  abfolutely  true  with  re- 
fpecl  to  fome  ;  and,  feccndly,  as  only  comparatively  true  with 
refpect  to  others. 

Firft,  It  may  be  confidered  as  ftriccly  and  abfolutely  true 
with  refpect  to  fome,  that  they  have  a  name  to  live  and  are 
dead.  This  natively  leads  us  to  confider  the  dreadful  nature 
of  the  fin  of  hypocrify,  and  the  awful  condition  of  hypo- 
crites ;  for  none  but  fuch  can  pcfiibly  have  a  name  to  live 
among  men,  and  yet  be  abfolutely  dead  in  the  fight  of  Gr.d. 
Now,  that  I  may,  if  poffible,  meet  with  every  one  in  ffl 
condition,  I  would  obierve,  that  there  are  three  forts  of  hypo- 
crites. 

i.  Such  as  may  properly  be  called  legal  hypocrites,  whofe 
name  to  live,  and  whofe  hopes,  are  wholly  built  on  the  works 
of  the  law  ;  who  reckon  a  great  deal  on  their  negative  gocd- 
nefs,  and  are  ready  to  fay  with  the  Pharifee,  Luke  xviii.  11. 
God  I  thank  thee,  that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are,  extortioners, 
unjuft,  adulterers,  or  even  as  this  Publican.  To  this  may  be 
added,  what  may  very  properly,  in  one  fenfe,  be  called  pcfthe 
goodnefs  ;  fuch  as  being  ftrictly  honeft-  and  juft  in  all  their 
dealings  with  men  ;  who  would  not,  for  any  confideration, 
wrong  any  one  to  the  value  of  a  pin,  are  companionate  and 
merciful  to  the  poor,  and  on  all  proper  occafions  give  liberal]  y 


%  a  DISCOURSE  os- 

to  their  relief.  2ccrr:cAr.g  to  their  ability  ;  lav  out  them- 
fblves  to  be  ufeful  among  men,  and  to  their  utmoft  promote 
peace  and  harmony  in  focieties'and  neighbourhoods  ;  and  to 
all  this  may  be  added,  being  ftridr  in  the  practice  of  religious 
duties  of  every  kind,  public,  private  and  fecret  ;  and  yet, 
with  all  this  negative  and  pdfitivfc  goodnefs,  there  may  be 
nothing  but  the  form  of  godlinefs  without  any  thmg  of  its 
life  and  power  ;  for  if  perfons  trnft  to  this,  and  look  to  be 
faved  by  it.  either  in  whole  or  in  part,  they,  in  fo  far,  put  it  in 
the  room  cf  Chrjft  and  his  righteoufnefs,  who  in  no  cafe  will 
ihare  his  glory  with  creature",  but  will  have  all  faved  in  the 
way  that  ftains  the  pride  of  all  glory.  The  apoille  Paul  tells 
n-  tilts  was  his  cafe  before  his  mind  was  favingly  enlightened  : 
he  was  ore  of  t  hypocrites  bf  whom  I  am  now  fpeak- 

ing.  /  nvaj  ai/ve,  1  i\  s  he,  Rom.  vii.  9.  nalthout  the  laiv  once  ; 
alive,  that  is.  in  his  own  opinion,  and  in  the  opinion  of  others, 
..  .  ;  that  is,  before  he  knew  the  law  in  its  fpirit- 
Tial  irjeanrng  and  extent  *:  $ui  e  covtmandment  came,  fin 

■  xd  I  dkd.  Then  the  hopes  he  had  founded  on  the 
law,  1    .  ;-   the   righteoufnefs   of  which,  he  tells  us  elfe- 

•.  he  was  blamelefs  in  .his  own  conceit,  Phil.  iii.  6.  were 

:  .  .i  up,  arid  he  faw  that,  though  he  Iiad  a  name  to  live,  he 
notwithftanding  dead.  Jn  like  manner,  all  who  build  on 
the  fame  *©tten  foundation,  whatever  their  attainments  may 
?je,  either  in  moral  cr  religious  life,  let  them  come  to  ever 
fucb  a  feeming  degree  of  perfection,  if  they  reft  there,  and 
go  no  further  ;  yea,  if  they  go  not  beyond  and  out  of  them 
all  to  Chrift,  and  reft  on  his  righteoufnefs  alone  for  juftifica- 
ticn  before  God,  they  are  no  more  living  chriftians  in  his 
fight,  than  a  well  drawn  picture  is  a  living  man.  They 
appear  to  be  what  they  really  are  not  ;  they  have  a  name  to 
Jive  among  men,  but  they  are  dead,  as  being  deftitute  of  the 
Spiritual  life,  deftitute  of  a  new  nature,  without  which  our 
Lord  has  affured  us  none  can  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 
John  iii.  3, — 5. 

2.  There  are  fome  who  are  grofs,  defigning,  and  prefump- 
tuous  hypocrites  ;  who  put  on  the  cloak  of  religion,  and 
wear  it,  that  they  may  be  thought  well  of  by  men;  who 
know  they  are  not  what  they  pretend  to  be,  as  being  confcious 
to  themfelves  that  they  have  no  ends  and  motives  in  view,  but 
what  are  carnal,  worldly  and  felfilh  ;  fuch  aope  was  Judas  in 
our  Lord's  own  family.     Have,  not  I  chofcn  sou  twelve,  and  one 


REV.  Hi.  i.  5 

9/ you  is  a  devil  ?  John  vi.  70.  Such  a  one  was  Simon  the 
magician,  of  whom  we  read,  Acts  viii.  who  put  on  a  prefef- 
iion  of  religion,  and  followed  the  apoflles,  from  worldly  mo- 
tives, hoping  to  obtain  the  fame  power  which  he  few  they 
were  endowed  with,  of  conveying  the  Holy  Ghoft  through 
the  laying  on  of  their  hands,  that  he  might  turn  this  gift  into 
worldly  gain,  as  is  evident  from  his  offering  the  apoflles  mon- 
ey that  he  might  ohfain  it.  Such  alfo  were  Ananias  and  Saph- 
ira,  Acts  v.  who  had  got  admittance  into  the  church,  and  fee- 
ing how  light  the  Chriftians  of  thofe  days  fet  by  this  world, 
and  how  readily  they  fold  and  parted  with  their  eftates  for 
the  relief  of  their  brethren,  would  fain  have  got  a  name  to 
themfelves,  for  the  lame  contempt  of  the  world,  and  love  to 
the  faints,  while  the  covetous  love  of  the  world  reigned  in  their8 
hearts,  and  they  could  not  but  be  confeious  to  themfelves 
that  they  were  lying  to  God  and  his  church  in  the  profeffion 
which  they  made,  as  v/as  made  evident  in  an  awful  manner. 

It  is  truly  furprifmg  to  think,  what  pains  feme  have  been 
at  to  put  on  and  wear  the  mafk   of' religion  by  an   outward 
profeilion  ;  to  perfonate  the  walk  and  converfation  of  Chrif- 
tians, that  they  might  be  accounted  fuch  :  and  fome   have 
gone  dreadful  lengths  in  acting  their  part  fo   artfully, 
they  have  deceived  even  the  mod  difceming  Chriftians  ar.ci 
xninifters  :  and  yet,  at  the   fame    time,  they   have  been  and 
could  not  but  be  confeious  to  themfelves,   (as  their  after  prac- 
tice has  declared,)  that  they  were  acting  a  deceicfui  and  hyp- 
ocritical part  ;  and  that,  at  the  fame  time  they  were  pretend- 
ing to  the  greateft  meafures  of  fancTity  and  Itrictnefs  before 
men,   their  hearts  were  giving  the    lie  to  it  ail  :  while   they 
were    indulging   the   love    of   iin,    and   faying,  /  Jhall 
feace,  though   I  walk  m  the  imagination   of  wine  heart,   Dent, 
xxix.  19.     Some  particular  inftunces  of  tins  kind  there  have 
been,  that  would  fill  every  mind  with  aftoniflirnent  to  relate 
them.     And  though,  for  the  mojj  part,  fuch  have  been  detect- 
ed,  by    their  being  left  to   make   awful  difecveries   of    the 
narghtinefs  and  rottennefs  of  their  liearts,  and  thereby  have 
been  made  monuments  of  the  Divine  difpleafure,  and  fet  up 
as  beacons  to  others  ;  yet  I  queuion  not,  but  fome  fuch  have 
worn  the  mafk  all  their  life,  and  their  hypocrify  has   1 
been  difcovered  in  this  world,  and  will  not  be  made  e\ 
but  in  the  next.    This  I  take  to  be  the  meaning  of  that  awful 
word  of  our  Lord's,  Luke  xiii.  30.    And  beheld  there   an 
which  Pull  befirft,  and  there  are  Hrfl  thai  Ml  U  lajl. 
A  2 


6  'a  DISCOURSE  oh 

Before  I  leave  this,  and  go  any  further,  may  we  not  flop 
here,  and  wonder  at  the  degree  of  atheifm,  helliih  wicked- 
nefs,  and  heaven  daring  prefumption,  which  fuch  perfons  have 
arrived  at,  as  thus  to  put  on  a  character  and  act  a  part  in  it, 
quite  contrary  to  the  natural  bent  and  difpofition  of  their 
hearts,  which  the  profefiion  of  religion  puts  a  force  upon,  a 
difpofition  that  ftrongly  inclines  them  to  the  ways  of  the 
world  lying  in  wickednefe,  all  which  they  cannot  but  be  con- 
fcious  of,  if  they  ever  allow  conference  to  fpeak,  and  hearken 
to  what  it  fays  ?  And  at  the  fame  time,  they  cannot  but  know, 
that  however  they  thus  deceive  men,  who  are  bound  by  the 
law  of  love  to  think  the  bell  of  perfons,  that  the  prefent  ap- 
pearance they  make  can  fuggeft  to  them,  yet  they  cannot,  I 
i'ay,  but  know  that  the  mafk  will  certainly  be  taken  off,  if  not 
In  this  world,  yet  in  the  other,  to  their  eternal  fhame  and  con- 
Q.  But  Oh  !  what  a  myftery  of  wickednefs  is  there  in 
the  heart  of  man  by  nature  !  Surely  it  is  an  eternal  truth,  it 
is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  defperately  wicked  ;  none 
can  know  it,  but  God,  whofe  tuideritanding  is  infinite,  Jer. 
xviL  9. 

3.  There  are  clofe,  painted  hypocrites,  who  may  not  only 
deceive  others,  Who  can  fee  no  farther  than  outward  appear- 
at.ee,  and  are  bound  to  judge  of  them  accordingly  ;  but  they 
may  even  go  fo  far  as  to  deceive  themfelves.  This  is  a  deli- 
cate point,  and  had  need  to  be  tenderly  handled  ;  for  it  is  at- 
tended with  a  three  fold  difficulty. 

(1.)  In  many  cafes,  the  real  graces  of  true  Chriftians,  and 
the  counterfeit  ones  in  refined  hypocrites,  {o  nearly  refemble 
one  another,  that  it  requires  no  fmall  meafure  of  the  wifdom 
that  cometh  from  above  to  diftinguifh  rightly  between  them, 
ana  to  point  cut  precifely  where  the  difference  lies. 

(2.)  When  we  would  aim  at  dealing  faithfully  in  this 
matter,  that  fo  we  may  cut  eff  all  excufes  from  the  moil  re- 
fined hypocrites,  that  they  may  not  haveJt  to  fay,  the  danger 
of  our  cafe  was  never  fully  displayed  to  us,  the  deceits  and  ref- 

of  lies  to  which  we  trailed  were  never  fully  laid  open  to 
us,  otherwise  we  might  have  efcaped  them.  Now,  I  fay,  it  is 
difficult  to  cut  oif  all  excufes  of  this  kind  ;  and  yet  not  grieve 
and  wound  the  heart  of  any  of  God's  dear  children  ;  for 
many  of  them  are  (o  borne  down  in  their  fpirits   with  unbe- 

the  remains  of  indwelling  fin,  and  the  temptations  of  Stt- 
tfcey  are  ready  to  apply  every  thing   that  is  fpeken 


REV.  hi.  i.  ^ 

to  the  cafe  now  under  confideration  to  themfelves,  and  to 
conclude  that  they  are  nothing  but  hypocrites  :  and  the  ene- 
my frequently  drives  temptations  of  this  kind  with  fucli  hellifh 
violence  in  upon  their  minds,  that  if  he  cannot  bereave  them 
of  their  grace,  which,  bleffed  be  God,  is  beyond  the  power  of 
hell,  he  does  all  he  can  to  bereave  them  of  their  comfort  and 
joy,  and  makes  them  many  times  to  walk  with  bowed  down 
backs  and  wounded  fpirits  ;  fo  that,  between  thefe  two,  to 
deal  faithfully  with  the  one,  and  not  to  grieve  the  other,  lies 
no  fmall  difficulty. 

(3.)  Another  difficulty  lies  in  this,  the  fubjecl:  itfelf  is  copi- 
ous, and  would  bear  to  be  largely  handled,  which  the  brevity 
we  are  confined  to  in  difcourfes  of  this  kind,  will  not  admit 
of,  and  to  draw  out  a  fubjecl:  to  any  confiderable  length,  has 
fometimes  a  tendency  to  make  perfons  tired  of  it ;  and  by 
this  means  the  things  fpoken,  however  weighty  in  themfelves, 
are  not  duly  attended  to.  Whoever  confiders  thefe  three  diffi- 
culties, will  fee,  that  they  do  not  want  their  own  weight.  May 
the  Lord  direct  to  what  may  be  proper,  pertinent,  and  ufeful 
on  this  fubjecl:.  I  but  juft  now  obferved,  that  the  kind  of 
hypocrify  of  which  I  am  now  treating,  is  of  fo  refined  a  na- 
ture, that  perfons  may  not  only  deceive  others,  but  even  them- 
felves ;  that  is,  though  they  have  a  name  to  live  among 
men,  they  may,  notwithstanding,  be  dead  before  God,  and 
yet  not  know  it  ;  yea,  they  may  have  a  kind  of  perfuafion 
that  it  is  otherwife  ;  and  Oh  what  a  dreadful  thing  it  is  to  be 
deceived  in  a  matter  of  eternal  moment  and  confequence  !  to 
be  deceived  with  refpedt  to  the  real  (late  of 'one's  foul !  Verily, 
they  who  are  deceived  in  this,  are  deceived  indeed.  Several 
things  concur  to  lead  perfons  into  this  deceit,  and  to  make 
them  a  more  refined  kind  of  hypocrites  ;  fuch  as, 

1.  A  religious  and  fober  education  in  which  perfons  have 
had  precept  and  example  concurring  to  lead  them  into  at  lead 
an  outward  profeffion  of  religion,  by  a  punctual  attendance  on 
all  the  ordinances  of  worfhip,  and  an  obfervation  of  the  more 
fecret  duties  of  religion,  which  can  hardly  be  done  without 
abftaining  from  the  more  grofs  pollutions  of  the  world,  and 
being  morally  fober.  It  is  impoffible  for  perfons  to  go  thus 
far,  without  being  commended  and  well  thought  of  by  relig- 
ious perfons,  who  are  always  willing  to  think  and  hope  the  beft 
in  fuch  cafes  ;  and  this  meeting  with  the  natural  pride  of  the 
heart;  hac  a  tendency  to  make  them  think  the  beft  of  them- 


I  a  DISCOURSE  on 

felves  too  ;  and  thus  they  are  infenfibly  led  into  the  having  a 
name  to  live,  while  they  are  dead,  and  have  never  experienced 
any  real  gracious  change  on  their  hearts. 

2.  To  this  may  be  added,  a  great  deal  of  light  and  knowl- 
edge as  to  the  doctrines  of  the  gofpel  and  the  only  way  of  fal- 
vatioii  through  Chrift,  of  which  they  may  have  a  rational 
kind  of  belief,  to  which  they  have  been  led  by  no  higher 
principle  than  that  of  education  and  the  impreffions  which 
that  leaves  on  the  mind.  Such  a  knowledge  is  commendable 
in  itfelf  ;  but  where  the  mind  is  not  under  the  influence  of 
grace,  it  has  a  tendency  to  puff  up  and  make  one  vain,  as  it 
draws  forth  commendations  and  praifes  from  others,  of  the 
dangers  of  which  few  are  fufficiently  aware,  and  fewer  ftill 
guard  againfl  it :  for  knowledge,  however  extenfive  it  may  be, 
is  not  grace.  Many  a  knowing,  yea,  many  an  orthodox  head 
has  been  joined  to  a  gracelefs  heart,  Rom.  ii.  17. 

3.  Such  perfons  may  alfo  be  pofiefTed  of  considerable  gifts 
for  the  edification  of  others  :  may  be  able  to  talk  of  the  things 
of  God  greatly  to  edification.  They  may  have  furprifmg 
memories,  fo  as  to  retain,  and  be  able  to  repeat  what  they  read 
and  hear,  may  have  the  gift  of  prayer  to  a  wonderful  degree, 
and  many  other  excellent  qualifications,  which  may  contri- 
bute to  procure  them  a  name  to  live  among  men,  and  to  make 
them  think  themfelves  alive,  whilft  yet  they  are  dead.  The 
apoftle  fuppofes,  Cor.  xiii.  1.  that  perfons  may  have  gifts  to 
fuch  a  degree  as  to  fpeak  as  it  were  with  the  tongues  of  men 
and  angels,  to  be  able  to  prophecy,  to  underftand  all  myfte- 
ries,  and  yet  have  no  grace,  but  be  utter  ftrangers  to  the  pow- 
er of  religion. 

4.  Over  and  above  all  this,  fomething  may  pafs  on  the 
minds  of  fuch  perfons,  through  the  common  operations  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  nearly  refembling  his  fpecial  and  faving  work 
on  the  minds  of  his  people,  while  they  are  only  enlightened 
proferTors  ;  fuch  ftrong  and  piercing  convictions  for  fin,  as  we 
are  fare  Cain,  Pharaoh,  Saul,  Judas  and  Feftus  had  ;  a  won- 
derful moving  of  affedtions  in  reading  and  hearing  the  word 
in  fecret  piayer,  and  other  religious  duties,  as  the  ftony  ground 
hearers,  who  received  the  word  with  joy  ;  on  this  may  follow 
a  great  outward  reformation,  and  forfaking  of  fins  which 
formerly  were  delighted  in,  and  a  cleaving  to  duties  of  every 
kind,  moral  and  religious,  as  Herod  when  he  heard  John,  he 
heard  him  gladly,  and  did  many  things  -f  yea,  there  may  be 


fomething  refembling  the  feveral  graces  of  the  Spirit  found- 
in  hypocrites  and  mere  formalists.  Have  the  children  of  God 
faith  ?  fo  may  they  have  a  temporary  kind  of  faith.  We 
read  of  fome  who  flayed  themfebuet  on  the  God  of  IJraet,  but  it 

Was  not  in  truth  and  righteoufnefs,  Ifa.  xlviii.  2.  Simon  the 
magician,  Acts  viii.  it  is  faid  believed  alfo  ;  but  it  v/as  not  to 
the  faving  of  the  foul,  as  the  event  fully  proved.  Do  true 
ChrhVians  repent  ?  io  may  hypocrites  ;  Ahab  repented  and 
humbled  himfelf,  Judas  alio  repented  ;  but  it  was  not  a  true 
and  gracious  forrow  in  any  of  them,  but  only  a -flaviih  fear  of 
the  punifhment  of  fin,  in  an  awakened  confeience.  Have  tine 
Chriitians  hope  ?  fo  may  the  hypocrite,  but  it  is  only  for  a 
moment,  and/baffperi/h,  Job.  viii.  13.  Again,  they  may  feel 
ibmething  like  the  it  niggles  between  the  new  and  old  man  in 
the  believers  ;  but  it  is  only  either  one  luft  ftriving  againft 
another,  as  fometimes  lufts  are  contrary  one  to  another,  or,  as 
one  well  obferves,  it  is  only  the  flefh  luffing  in  one  part  of  die 
flelh,  and  fearing  in  another,  as  was  the  cafe  with  Balaam. 
He  had  ftrong  deiires  after  the  wages  of  unrighteoufnefs,  but 
his  light  and  knowledge  told  him  the  danger  of  taking  them : 
and  many  have  druggies-  of  the  fame  kind,  who  yet  remain 
utter  Grangers  to  a  work  of  grace  en  the  heart.  Fufthery 
they  may  have  good  defires,  as  Efau,  who  earneftly  fought 
the  bleffing  with  tears.  Balaam  too  could  fay,  Let  me  die  the 
death  of  the  righteous,  and  let  my  iafi  end  be  like  his.  Num.  xxiii. 
10.  And  Simon  the  magician,  when  the  danger  of  his  un- 
converted ftate  was  faithfully  told  him,  defired  the  apoftle's- 
prayers  for  him,  A  els  viii.  24.  yea,  they  may  drive  againft  fin, 
and  feem  very  mortified,  as  many  among  the  Papifts  do  in  art 
ignorant  felf-righieous  way.  Thus,  Ahab  humbled  himfelf,  rent 
his  clothes,  fatted,  lay  in  fackcloth,  and  went  foftly,  1  Kings 
xxL  27.  Whatfhall  I  fay  further:  They  may  take  a  great  delight 
in  ordinances,  attend  punctually  on  them,  and  feem  greatly 
affected  while  they  do  fo.  Thus  it  was  with  thefe  fpoken  of, 
Ifa.  lviii.  2.  They  feek  me  dailv,  and  delight  to  kn&w  my  ivays,  as 
a  nation  that  did  righteoufnefs,  and  Jbrfoak  net  the  ordinances  of 
their  G:d  ;  they  ajk  of  me  the  ordinances  of  juftice,  and  they  take 
delight  in  approaching  to  God,  &V.  What  a  beautiful  appear- 
ance does  all  this  make  ?  But,  alas  !  it  was  all  hypocrify,  as 
the  context  makes  evident.  I  might  enlarge  on  this  fubject  ; 
but  thefe  things  may  fuffice  to  prove  this  affecting  truth. 
And  now,  if  any  are  ready  to  fay,  Why,  if  hypocrites  can 


13  a  DISCOURSE  on 

go  all  thcfe  lengths,  how  is  true  religion  to  be  difcemed  ?  an& 
how  may  we  know  the  difference  ?  In  anfwer  to  this,  I  would 
fay,  there  are  three  things  to  which  the  moft  refined  hypo- 
crite never  attains,  and  where  thefe  three  things  are  to  be 
found,  there  moft  certainly  is  the  grace  of  God  in  reality  and 
truth. 

1.  They  never  give  up  with  all  fin,  nor  hate  it  as  fin. 
Some,  yea,  many  iins,  they  may  feem  to  forfake,  while  con- 
victions continue-;  as  Herod,  when  he  heard' John,  heard  him 
gladly,  and  did  many  things  :  but,  with  all  this  he  could  not 
be  brought  to  part  with  his  Herodias.  And  thus  it  is  with 
hypocrites,  even  the  moft  refined  of  them  ;  they  always  re- 
tain fome  idol  or  other,  that  they  cannot  bear  ihould  be  cut 
off,  fome  right  eye,  that  they  cannot  or  rather  will  not  pluck 
out.  And  allow  me  to  fay,  brethren,  if  it  was  poftible  for 
one  to  part  with  all  fins,  except  one,  that  one  would  give  Sa- 
tan as  real  a  hold  of  his  heart,  as  if  he  had  parted  with  none. 
But  the  true  Chriftian  is  made  to  fee  fo  much  of  the  lothfome 
and  filthy  nature  of  fin,  as  well  as  to  behold  its  dreadful  con- 
fequences,  that  he  hates  and  gives  up  with  all  fin,  and  is  fo 
far  from  deliring  any  may  be  fpared,  that  he  dreads,  left  it 
fnculd  be  {o,  through  the  deceitfulnefs  of  fin,  and  his  own 
heart.  And  the  perfon  that  can  appeal  to  God,  the  Searcher 
of  hearts,  and  fay  unto  him,  With  the  Pfalmift,  Pfal.  cxix. 
1 2H.  /  efleem  all  thy  precepts  concerning  all  things  to  be  right,  and 
I  hate  every  falfe  nvay,  has  attained  to  fomething  in  which  he 
has  got  beyond  the  moft  refined  hypocrite. 

2.  They  never  love  to  be  fearched  to  the  bottom  ;  they  are 
always  afraid  of  it,  and  feek  to  avoid  it  :  they  love  fair  gen- 
erals beft,  and  always  avoid  any  thing  that  looks  like  being 
too  particular.  But  the  true,  the  honeft  hearted  Chriftian  is 
willing  to  be  fearched  thoroughly,  yea,^  is  afraid  left  any  fin 
fhould  lurk  in  his  heart  without  beij^  obferved  ;  and  there- 
fore, as  fufpecling  himfelf  of  partiamj;  in  this  matter,  he 
brings  his  heart  to  God,  who  knows  it  beft,  and  puts  the  Work 
in  his  hand,  faying  with  the  Pfalmift,  exxxix.  23,  24.  Search 
me,  0  God,  and  know  my  heart  ;  try  me,  and  fee  if  there  he  any 
wicked  nvay  in  me,  &c. 

3.  They  never  wholly  renounce  felf  in  the  matter  of  jufti- 
fication,  and  reft  wholly  upon  the  merits  of  Chrift  and  his 
righteoufnefs  for  complete  falvation.  Some  may  indeed  feem 
to  do  it  in  opinion,  but  in  practice  there  is  always  fomething 


REV.  iii.  i.  n 

#f  their  own,  which  they  cleave  to  and  reft  upon,  if  not  whol- 
ly, yet  in  part,  as  they  who  are  mentioned  in  the  forecited  Ifa. 
Iviii.  3.  Wherefore  have  we  fafted,  fay  they,  and  thou  feefl  not  ? 
life.  Ifajl  twice  a  week,  1  pay  tithes  of  all  I  fofefi,  faid  the 
Pharifee,  Luke  xviii.  12.  But  the  true  Christian,  in  the  mat- 
ter of  juftification,  dares  not  mix  any  thing  of  his  own  with 
the  perfect  righteoufnefs  of  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  and  he  de- 
fires,  with  the  apoftle,  to  be  found  in  hi?n,  not  having  his  own 
righteoufnefs,  &c.  Phil.  iii.  9. 

By  thefe  three  things,  we  may  know  $£e  difference  between 
true  Chriftians  and  the  moft  refined  hypocrites  j  and  if  we 
have  truly  experienced  thefe  things,  we  may  be  allured  we  are 
true  and  honeft  hearted  Chriftians.     I  come  now, 

Secondly,  To  confider  this  charge  as  comparatively  true  with 
refpeel  to  others,  namely,  true  believers,  who  may  have  had, 
and  perhaps  have  ftill  a  name  to  live,  that  is,  may  be  ac- 
counted lively  and  flourifhing  chriftians  by  others,  and  yet 
their  fouls  may  be  in  a  very  languifhing  condition  before 
God.  And  O  the  need  we  all  have  to  confider  and  liften  to 
this  with  becoming  ferioufnefs  and  attention  ! 

That  the  words  of  the  text  are  to  be  taken  in  this  reftrictect 
Tenfe,  is,  I  think,  evident  from  the  advice  or  exhortation 
given  in  the  text,  Be  watchful,  and  ftrengthen  the  things  which 
remain,  and  are  ready  to  die.  In  treating  them,  therefore,  in 
this  view,  I  mail,  through  divine  affiftance,  ift,  Show  when  it 
may  be  faid  that  a  true  Chriftian  has  a  name  to  live  and  yet 
in  a  fenfe  is  dead  ;  2dly,  Shall  point  out  fome  of  the  caufes 
of  this  evil. 

1  ft,  When  may  it  be  faid  that  a  true  Chriftian  has  a  name 
to  live,  and  yet  may,  in  the  fenfe  of  the  text,  be  dead. 

I  anfwer,  1.  When  he  has  left  his  firft  love,  and  has  not 
that  relifh  and  favour  of  divine  things  he  once  had.  It  is 
ufual,  when  perfons  are  firft  favingly  dealt  with,  and  made  to 
experience  what  the  Scripture  calls  the  kindnefs  of  youth, 
and  the  love  of  efpoufals,  that  then  their  hearts  are  lively  and 
fpiritual,  and  they  have  warm  impreflions  of  the  love  of  God 
in  Chrift,  which  render  the  duties  of  worfhip  fweet,  and  en- 
gaging in  them  eafy  and  pleafant :  then  love  to  him  is  ftrong, 
and  love  to  every  thing  that  is  his  too,  as  his  name,  his  word, 
his  day,  his  ordinances,  and  his  people.  It  is  impoffible  per- 
fons can  have  this  love  and  not  mow  it  ;  the  holy  profeffion, 
ia  its  own  nature,  makes  ibis  neceuary  ;  and,  in  fo  far  as  it  is 


'**  I  DISCOURSE  ok' 


Jhewn  m  away  becoming  the  gofpel,  it  muft  procure  them  a 
name  to  live.     But  this  name  to  live  is  more  eafily  maintain- 
ed  than  one's  firft  love  is  :  for   the  avoiding  things  that  are 
openly  and  notoriously  fcandalous,  and  a  ftrict  attendance  on    : 
the  ordinances  and  duties  of  worfhip,  will  maintain  the  one  ;    \ 
but  nothing  can  maintain  the  other,  but  the  immediate  com- 
munications of  the  Spirit  and  grace  of  Chrift,  in  a  way  of  ho- 
ly fellowship  with  God  in  him.     But  Oh  what  a  fad  falling 
off  is  frequently  to  be  found  here  with  many  of  God's  chil- 
dren !  efpecially  if  any  considerable  meafure  of  worldly  prof, 
perity  and  eafe  happens  to  be  in  the^r  lot.     It  is  natural  for    ' 
the  carnal  unrenewed  part  of  the  mind  to  fink  into  things  of 
time  and  fenfe,  and  in  fo  far  as  an  inordinate   love  to  them  "j 
prevails,  the  love  of  God  and  things  fpiritual  muft  in  propor- 
tion fink  and  grow  weaker  ;  by  which  means    Chriftians  fall 
from  and  leave  their  firft  love.    The  earneftnefs  of  their  de-    : 
fires  towards  God  and  the  remembrance  of  his  name,  their 
zeal  for  his  glory  and  honor  and  the    interefts  of  his    king- 
dom ;  their  fervent  breathings  after  communion  and  fellow- 
fhip  with  him  in  the  duties  and  ordinances  of  worfhip  ;  their 
love  to  his  word,  his  day  and  people  :  all  thefe  may  abate  and 
cool  to  a  degree  that  fhould  rather  be  imagined  than  fpokeri.  . 
The  edge  of  their  fpiritual  defires  may  be  blunted  ;  the  ten- 
der fpiritual  frame  of  mind,  with  which  they  once  engaged  in 
duties  of  worfhip,  may,  in  a  great  meafure,  wear  off  ;  that 
careful  watch  which  they  formerly  kept  up  agamft  vanity  and 
carnality  of  mind,  may  be  let  down  in  a  great  meafure  ;  and 
though  they  may  keep  up  the  form  of  religion  fo  as  to  main- 
tain the  name  to  live  among  men,  yet  they  may    in  a  great 
meafure  be  dead  before   God,   dead  in  comparifon  of  what 
they  once  were,  when  they  firft  engaged  in  the  ways  of  God 
and  religion.     There  are  inftances  in  Scripture  of  faints  leav-  - 
ing  their  firft  love,  which  fhould  be  remembered  with  fear  and 
trembling  by  us  all.     Would  one  have  thought  that  fuch  a 
man  as  Noah,  a  preacher  of  righteoufnefs,  for  fuch  a  number 
of  years,  to  a  wicked  and  ungodly  world,  who  was  a  juft  man 
and  perfect  in  his  generation,  and  walked  with  God,  Gen.  vi. 
9.  and  whom  the  Lord  faid  he  had  feen  righteous  before  him 
in  his  generation,  Gen.  vii.  1.   and   whom  the  Lord  had  fo 
wonderfully  and  mercifully  preferved  when  he  drowned  the  I 
world  of  the  ungodly  by  the  flood  :  would  one  have  thought 
I  fay,  that  fuch  a  one,  after  all  this,  would  have  fallen  as  he  I 


:.    I.  I> 

did  ?  Jofeph  was  tender,  holy  and  circumfpec"t  in  his  younger 
years,  and  when  in  advcrfity  ;  but  when  he  was  furroundcd 
with  the  temptations  of  a  eourt,  and  was  railed  to  a  iullnefs  of 
riches  and  power,  he  left  his  firft  love,  fo  far  as  to  learn  to 
fwear  the  court  oath.  What  a  difference  was  there  between 
David's  firft  and  his  laft  days  !  fometimes  one  would  hardly 
think  it  was  the  fame  man.  Thefe,  and  other  inftances  that 
might  be  named,  are  iafricient  to  fill  us  all  with  holy  fear,  and 
to  make  us  remember  that  great  truth,  we  ftand  by  faith,  and 
therefore  we  mould  not  be  high  minded,  and  that  while  wre 
think  we  /land  to  take  heed  left  we  fall,  fall  from  our  firit. 
Jove,  and  thereby,  though  we  may  have  a  name  to  live,  yet 
•may  in  the  £e::ie  before  declared  be  dead.  Then  may  we  be 
brought  to  mourn  in  the  language  of  Job,  xxix.  2.  Oh  that  1 
inere  as  in  months  paj},  as  in  the  days  when  Cod  prefect  :d  vie, 
when  his  candle  flrined  upon  my  head,  and  when  by  his  light  I  n 
ed  through  darknefs,  as  I  was  in  the  days  of?7iy  youth,  when  the. 
fe:ret  of  God  nxai  upon  iny  tabernacle. 

2.  When  he  is  more  anxious  and  careful  in  maintaining  the 
credit  of  his  prcfeilion  before  men,  than  in  maintaining  com- 
munion and  fellowfhip  with  God  in  the  more  fecret  duties  of 
religion.  I  grant  indeed  this  can  never  be  ftrictly  and  abso- 
lutely true  in  the  fuller!  meaning  cf  thefe  words,  that  any 
child  of  God  can  be  more  anxious  and  concerned  about  the 
one  than  the  other;  on  the  contrary,  this  is  the  certain  mark 
or  a  hypocrite  :  but  in  a  time  of  temptation  and  fpiritual  de- 
"  clenflon,  from  the  danger  of  which  none  are  abiolutely  ex- 
empted, even  true  Chriftians  may  feel  this  difpofition  working 
in  them.  There  may  be  a  going  the  round  cf  duties,  public, 
private,  and  fecret,  a  blameleis  outward  walk,  by  abilaining 
from  fuch  things  as  may  fully  their  prcfeffion,  and  bring  re- 
proach on  the  good  ways  of  God  ;  there  may  be  a  good  meaf- 
ure  too  of  the  exercife  of  gifts  for  the  edification  of  ethers, 
while  yet  grace  may  be  on  the  decline.  And  as  thefe  things 
may  have  a  tendency  to  maintain  and  ftrengthen  the  credit  cf 
one's  profefllon  before  men,  Chriftians  may  for  feme  time  be 
trader  the  temptation  of  being  moie  careful  about  this,  I 
atout  maintaining  communion  with  God  in  fecret  ;  and  this 
may  be  occafioned  by  their  giving  way  to  things  that  have 
provoked  God  to  hide  his  face  from  them  in  the  more  fecret 
duties  of  wcrfliip,  by  which  they  contract  a  dead,  formal,  liil- 
lefs  way  of  performing  fuch  duties,  while  f,h?r<;  may  be  f;;:r. 
B 


-*.  a  IXSCOURSE  on 

ing  livelinefs  in  the  way  of  performing  religious  duties  before 
men,  perhaps  through  the  mere  force  of  a  natural  gift,  or  a 
fpiritual  one  ufed  in  a  formal  "way.  But  to  be  lure,  where  this 
is  the  cafe,  they  are  not  before  God  what  they  appear  to  be  be- 
fore men,  though  they  may  have  a  name  for  being  lively  and 
fpiritual  Chriftians,  by  the  account  of  them  that  can  fee  no 
farther  than  outward  appearance,  and  muft  therefore  judge 
uxorclingly  ;  yet  they  are  not  lb  before  God,  but  compara- 
tively ipeaking  dead. 

3.  When  the  inward  temper  and  frame   of  his  mind,   and 
the  tenor  of  his  walk  and  converfation,  are  not  as  it  becomes 
the  gofpel   of  Chrift,   and   the  holy  profeffion  of  his   name. 
That  one  may  be  a  true  Chriftian  with  refpecl:  to  his  ftate  be- 
fore God,  and  be  juftly  accounted  fo  by  men,  and  yet  the  in- 
ward frame  of  his  mind  be  fuch  as  is  in  a  great  meafure,  un- 
becoming that  characler,  none  can  doubt  who  know  the  word 
ci  God,  and  are  thoroughly  acquainted  with  their  own  hearts. 
He  may  give  way  to  pride,  anger,   malice  and   a   revengeful 
fpirit  for  a  time  ;  may  fret  and  repine  inwardly  at  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  and  fome  particular  difpenfations   thereof:  he 
may   indulge  a  carnal  frame   of  mind,  and  think  with  fome 
pleaiure  on  the  lulls  of  the  nefh,  the  lufts  of  the  eye,  and  the 
pride  cf  life.      All  this  may  be  done,  and  yet  nothing  fcanda- 
lous  appearing  before  men  ;  but  it    cannot   be  done  without 
bringing  on  fpiritual  deadnefs   on  the  mind,  and   unfitting  it 
for  communion  with  God  in  holy  duties.     Yea,  matters  may 
even  2^0  further  ;   true  Christians  may  be  fufFered  to  fall  into 
th'ngs  .in  point  of  practice,  that,  if  they  are  not  inconfiftent 
.with  the  being  and  truth  of  grace,  are  utterly  inconfiftent  with 
the  lively  exercife  of  it,  and  thereby  they  may   darken    their 
profeinon,  and  fully  the  luftre  of  it,  to  fuch  a  degree,  that  they 
may  at  leaft  be  no  ornaments  to  it.     Yea,  what   mall   I  lay 
further  ?  may  not  my  heart  tremble  to  fay,  and  yours  to  hear, 
that  they  may  be  left  to  go  fo  far,  as  to  become  open  fcandals 
to  the  gofpel,   and   oblige  the  children  of  God,    with  whom 
they   hare    formerly   been    in  church-fellowihip  to   withdraw 
from  them,  and  to  feparate  them  from  the  holy  communion  of 
the  faints  ?  And  though  a  true  Chriftian  can  never  fall  tcaft- 
Iv  and  finally  from  grace  as  to  the  habit  or  reality  of  it,    in 
;::  heart,  yet  he  may  fall  from  die  exercife  of  it,  fo  that  he 
lofe,  as  to   bis  own  apprehenfibn,    his  affurance   of  the 
.    •  of  God,  joy  ia  the  H'el}  peace  of  confeience  and 


REV.  iii.    I .  *Jj 

the  hops  of  heaven.     And  there  may  be  alfo  fad  and  woful 
intermiffions  as  to  the  ads  or  exercifes  of  the  graces  which  arc 
eflential  to  Chriflianity,  viz.  faith,   repentance  and  love. 
may  be  left  to  go  fo  far,  that  his  grace  may  neither  be  vii 
to  himfelf  nor  to  others.      By  all  Which  God  may  be  pre 
ed  to  hide  his  face  from  him,  and  leave  him  to  fink  in  a  clond, 
and  go  out  like  the  ihufr  of  a  candle  ;  and  in  many  awful  in- 
ftancea,   he  may  take  vengeance  on  his  inventions,  though  he 
fhew  smercy  to  his  fptll  as  to  its  eternal  well-being. 

Thus  far  even  Chriitians  may  have  a  name  to  live  and  yet 
be  partially  dead  :  and  I  have  been  thus  particular  with  a  two 
fold  view,  (i.)  That  none  may  give  way  to  unbelief  and  ck  • 
fpair,  by  drawing  harfli  conclun*  ons  againit  themfelves, 
they  were  none  of  the  children  of  God,  becaufe  perhaps  they 
may  have  fallen  in  the  way  and  manner  I  have  been  now 
fcribing.  Let  fuch  remember  and  hear  the  Lord  fpeakiag  to 
them  in  inch  words  as  thefe  :  Pfal.  lxxxix.  3c. — 35.  Jer.  iii. 
II,  12,  13,  14,  20,  21,  22.  Hof.  xiv.  U  2,  3,  4.  (2.)  That 
none  may  prefume,  but  that  all  may  be  an  aid  and  keep  at  thd 
utmoft  diltance  from  every  thing  that  fo  much  as  borders  en 
the  evils  I  have  been  defcribing  in  the  foregoing  particulars. 
Woe  to  them  who  dare  fearlefsly  venture  on  fuch  things,  ba- 
caufe  they  hear  perfons  may  be  guilty  of  them,  and  yet  be 
faved.  This  is  fo  far  from  being  a  mark  of  a  child  of  God, 
that  it  is  one  of  the  faddeft  marks  of  prefumpticn,  yea,  of  rep- 
robation, that  I  know.  Would  any  wife  man  leap  over  a  prec- 
ipice, becaufe  he  faw  another  do  it  before  him,  and  did  not 
Icfe  his  life,  but  only  broke  feme  bones  ;  furely  no.  The  ap- 
plication is  eafy.  O  let  us  (land  in  awe,  and  be  afraid  oi 
ing  a  name  to  live,  and  yet  being  dead,  either  in  one  refpect 
or  another. 

Secondly,  I  would  point  out  fome  caufes  of  this. 

1.  It  is  owing  to  much  outward  profperity,  and  to  an  abun- 
dance of  the  means  of  grace.  In  times  of  public  persecution 
and  famine  of  the  word  of  God,  Chrifiians  have  fpmething 
to  exercife  their  graces  and  keep  them  lively,  and  gefiei 
{peaking  they  are  lively.  But  in  a  time  of  much  outward  ti  an- 
quillity  and  plenty  of  the  means  of  grace,  they  are  ready  to 
grow  fecure,  formal  and  dead,  to  fettle  on  their  hcst  and  to 
reft  too  much  on  a  name  to  live.  While  David  was  hunted 
like  a  partridge  on  the  mountains,  and  banifhed  from  the 
fanctuary,  how  lively  were  his  affections  !  how  fervent  his  do 


16  a  DISCOURSE  on 

fires  I  how  ardent  was  his  love  to  God  and  things  fpirltual  3 
But  when  he  was  in  the  midd  of  worldly  profperity  and  great- 
nefs,  his  heart  turned  carnal  and  dead,  the  confequences  of 
whicli  are  too  well  known  to  be  mentioned. 

2.  It  is  owing  frequently  to  covetoufnefs  and  the  love  of 
this  world*  Alas,  my  brethren,  we  live  in  an  age  and  time  in 
which  it  is  a  hard  matter  to  convince  perfons  that  this  is  a  tin, 
or  at  lead  that  they  are  guilty  of  it.  That  whicli  would  have 
been,  and  certainly  was  accounted  a  fcandatous  fin  in  the  firft 
ages  of  Chriitianity,  now  lets  up  its  head,  even  in  the  church- 
es of  Chrifr,  without  being  afhamed,  as  ji  it  had  got  a  paif- 
port,  and  might  fai'ely  go  free,  without  being  aiked  whence  it 
came,  or  whither  it  was  going  ;  yea,  the  very  mentioning  of  it 
is  ready  fometimes  to  put  perfons  out  of  temper,  to  put  them 
in  a  paffion,  which  is  a  certain  fign  that  there  is  a  fore  there 
that  cannot  bear  to  be  touched.  And  there  are  io  many  fine 
names  that  it  goes  by,  and  fpecious  like  difgulfes  that  it  lurks 
under,  that  it  finds  a  way,  fome  how  or  other,  to  evade  the 
force  of  conviction.  But  he  who  fays  in  the  text,  Fhmv  thy 
works,  fees  through  all  thefe  difguifes,  and  fooner  or  later  will 
blow  them  away  with  the  breath  of  his  mouth,  and  make  the 
limine  and  nakcdiv:fs  of  il  appear  to  all.  And  though  perfons 
may  now  induftfkrafly  hide  it,  and  may  find  it  no  difficult  thing 
to  indulge  it,  and  yet  maintain  a  name  to  live,  yet  certainly,  in 
fo  far  as  it  is  indulged,  it  brings  fpirltual  deadneis  on  the 
foul." 

3.  It  is  owing  to  the  carnal  and  ieififh  way  of  ufmg  fpirit- 
ual  gifts.  Where  thefe  are  beftowed  on  perfons  in  any  meaf- 
ure  more  than  common,  it  is  hard  for  them  to  be  in  the  ex- 
ercife  of  them,  and  at  the  fame  time  to  keep  down  pride. 
Such  gifts,  and  the  free  exercife  of  them,  have  a  natural  ten- 
dency to  procure  and  increafe  a  name  to  live  ;  but  unlefs  there- 
be  a  balance  laid  on  the -natural  pride  of  the  mind,  and  per- 
fons are  enabled  by  grace  to  cxcrcifc  every  gift  God  has  be- 
ftowed on  them,  in  a  humble  felf-denied  manner,  as  pride  and 
f,'lf  conceit  prevail,  fpiritual  deadnefs  will  alio,  in  equal  pro- 
portion, take  place  in  the  foul.  Oh  what  need  we  have  to  re- 
member that  great  word,  2  Cor.  x.  17,  18.  He  that  glorieth 
tet  him  glory  in  the  Lord  ;  for  not  he  that  coviviejidctb  himfilfis 
approved,  but  whom  the  Lord  covwicr.deth. 

1  4.  It  is  owing  to  perfons  allowing  their  hearts  to  become 
carnal  and  fenfual  in  the  enjoymert  of  the  lawful  comforts  of 


REV.  iii.  i.  if 

Even  the  beft  of  God's  children  arc  in  danger  here. 
Hence  our  Lord  cautioned  his  dilciples.  Luke  xxi.  34.  Tah 
heed  :  s  left  at  any  time  your  heart  be  overcharged  mtith 

' ,  S:c.  How  neceiTary  to  watch  over 
ourfelves  in  this  particular,  and  to  beware  of  fo  much  as 
bordering  on  excels  of  any  kind  ;  for  it  is  a  Mealing  and  be- 
witching thing,  that  mfenfibly  increafes  in  its  demands  ;  and 
if  once  given  way  to,  perfons  know  not  where  they  may  ftop, 
O  the  need  we  have  to  be  fpiritual  in  the  ufe  of  all  the  lawful 
comforts  of  life,  and  to  remember  that  weighty  word.  1  Cor. 
t.  31.  JVheiherf  therefore]. ye  ca.t  or  drink,  or  'nuhatjbever ye  do.(h 
the  glory  of  G:d.  The  not  remembering  this,  and  going 
to  excefs  in  thtic  thing-,  has  clouded  many  a  bright  profef- 
fi on,  and  brought  on  fpiritual  deadnefs,  which  has  never  been 
altogether  recovered  in  this  world. 

Laftly,  it  is  owing  to  perfons  being  feldom  employed  in 
the  more  inward  and  fecret  duties  of  religion,  fuch  as  holy 
meditation,  felf  examination,  farting  and  fecret  prayer.  Some 
perfons,  in  the  heat  of  I  don't  know  what  kind  of  zeal,  may 
exclaim  sgainrt  the  diligent  performance  of  fuch  kind  of  du- 
ties, as  favouring  of  a  Pharisaical,  fz\£  righteous  fpirit  ;  Lut 
whatever  they  may  preiend,  we  mav  venture  to  affirm,  on  the 
juileit  grounds,  that  a  defect  in  thefe  duties  is  at  the  bottom 
ill  the  fpiritual  deadnefs  to  be  found  among  us.  The 
life  of  religion  is  an  inward  thing  ;  much  of  it  lies  between 
God  and  the  foul,  in  fecret  ;  and  if  perfons  either  neglect,  or 
carelefsly  perform,  the  more  inward  and  fecret  duties  of  relig- 
ion, by  which  communion  and  fellowship  between  God  and 
the  foul  is  maintained  ;  how  is  it  poflible  fuch  can  be  lively  ? 
If  God,  of  his  infinite  mercy,  would  graciouily  pour  down 
his  Spirit  from  on  high  on  us,  as  a  fpirit  of  faith,  repentance, 
grace  and  fupplication,  that  would  icon  make  a  fweet  and 
bleiTed  change  in  our  fpiritual  ftate  and  condition  ;  and  this 
change  would  foon  difcover  itfelf  in  the  confeientious  and  dil- 
igent practice  of  tlxit  part  of  religion  which  lies  between 
God  and  the  foul  in  fecret. 

Application.    Ufe  1.   Of  Information. 

1.  Hence  we  may  fee  what  a  wide  difference  there  is  be- 
tween the  judgment  of  God,  and  the  judgment  of  men,  both 
with  refpect  to  perfons  and   things.     The  one  is   frequently 


*&  a  DISCOURSE  ok 

falfe  and  partial,  and  at  bed  is  founded  on  probability  and 
outward  appearance  ;  but  the  other  is  according  to  truth, 
and  founded  on  infallible  knowledge,  i  Sam.  xvi.  7.  Some- 
times even  charity  itielf  requires,  that  we  fhpuld  judge 
otherwife  of  perfons,  than  according  to  wh.it  is  their  real 
/late  before  God,  became  the  entering  into  and  judging  the 
hearts  of  men,  is  a  part  of  the  prerogative  royal  of  God,  which 
lie  will  fuffer  no  perfon  whatever  to  invade  ;  and  therefore  we 
ought  to  keep  at  the  utmoii  diftance  from  every  thing  chat  fo 
much  as  borders  on  it,  keeping  within  the  bounds  which  the 
law  of  love  has  fe't  us.  But  the  ufe  which  we  ought  to  make 
of  this  truth  with  refpect  to  ourfelvcs,  is  to  look  narrowly  in- 
to, and  to  judge  our  own  hearts  and  ways  ;  for  that  we  are 
not  only  allowed  to  do,  but  it  is  oar  ^uty.;  and   the 

not  doing  it,  argues  a  (infill  partiality  and  cartkiueis,  which  is 
frequently  reproved  in  Scripture,  1  Cor.  xi.  28,  31,  32.  And 
the  more  we  are  thus  employed,  the  lefs  we  (hall  be  taken  with- 
a  name  to  live  among  men,  and  being  well  thought  of  by 
them  ;  and  the  more  we  (hall  be  defirous  of  approving  our- 
felves  unto  God  in  all  things,  that  we  may  in  truth  and  re- 
ality be  fuch  as  we  profefs  to  be  :  for  if  is  not  he  that  com- 
mendeth  himfelf,  or  whom  men  commend,  that  is  approved, 
but  whom  the  Lord  commendeth,  2  Cor.  x.  i3. 

2.  Hence  we  may  fee  what  a  mercy  it  is  ^or  perfons  to 
have  a  true  and  real  reprefentation  of  their  cafe  laid  before 
them,  without  any  difguife  ;  efpecially  when  it  is  deilgned  for. 
their  good,  and  to  deliver  them  from  any  meafure  of  mifery. 
they  are  labouring,  under.  All  the  reprefent-atior.s  that  are 
made  by  the  Spirit  of  God  in  his  word  to  iinners  are  of  this 
nature,  they  are  made  with  a  defign  to  undeceive  them,  by 
opening  their  eyes  to  fee  what  is  the  real  itatc  of  their  fouls 
before  God,  and  at  the  fame  time  he  fcts  before  them  the  rem- 
edy, and  tells  them  how  they  may  be  delivered  from  every 
evil  and  mifery  they  labor  under.  And  here  lies  the  main 
and  chief  difference  between  the  way  in  which  the  Holy  Spir- 
it of  God  deals  with  the  fouls  of  men,  and  that  which  the 
liar*  and  murderer  takes.  The  devil  does  all  he  can  to  de- 
ceive finners  by  blind  folding  them  and  keeping  them  in  the 
dark,  that  they  may  not  fee  the  danger  they  are  in,  telling 
them  all  is  well,  and  all  fh all  be  well  with  them  in  the  iffue, 
they  (hall  not  furely  die.  But  when  the  fmner's  eyes  begin  to 
be  opened,  and  he  can  do  that  no  longer,  if  then  he  (peaks 


REV.   iii.    I.  19 

troths,  it  is  always  with  an  evil  and  wicked  defign  ;  even  that 
he  may  thereby  complete  the  ruin  of  the  foul,  by  driving  it 
to  defpair,  and  telling  them  there  is  no  hope  for  any  in  their 
cafe.  But  die  Holy  Spirit  of  God  takes  a  courfe  directly  con- 
trary to  this  in  every  refpect  ;  he  deals  truly  with  all,  by  fetting 
before  them  a  fair  irate,  of  their  cafe,  .making  it  neither  better 
nor  worle  than  it  really  is,  and. that  with  a  view  to  humble 
them,  and  make  them  fenfible  of  the  evil  and  danger  of  it ; 
and  then  he  difcovers  the  remedy,  that  they  may  flee  for  ref- 
uge to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  fet  before  them,  that  fin  may  not 
be  their  ruin,  but  that  they  may  be  delivered  from  it,  and 
from  the  wrath  which  is  to  come.  Hence  it  follows  in  the 
text,  after  the  charge  pr  ace ufation,  ver.  2,  3.  Be  watchful* 
and jlrengthen  the  things  which  rema'my  that  are  ready  to  die,  &c. 

By  noticing  carefully  what  I  have  juft  now  fuggefted  on 
this  point,  we  may  eafily  know  what  comes -from  the  Spirit  of 
God,  and  what  comes  from  the  evil  one,  in  the  difcoveries 
that  are  given  of  our  hearts'  and  ways.  When  the  Spirit  of 
God  difcovers  our  danger,  it  humbles  to  the  dud,  fills  the  foul 
with  holy  (name  and  blufhing,  and  makes  us  cleave  to  the 
remedy,  which  he  never  fails  to  difcover  at  the  fame  time  that 
he  difcovers  the  difeafe  ;  for  that  which  comes  from  God, 
never  fails  to  lead  to  him  in  a  way  of  duty,  and  makes  the  foul 
cleave  to. him  by  faith  and  love.  But  when  the  devil  fets  be- 
fore us  the  very  fame  thing,  viz.  our  fin  and  danger,  though 
he  may  in  this  cafe  fpeak  truth  and  draw  a  true  picture, 
though  a  horrid  one,  of  ourfeives,  and  fet  it  before  us,  yet 
it  is  always  with  this  deiign,  to  lead  us  to  defpair,  and  to  make 
us  draw  that  dreadful  conclufion,  that  theie  is  no  hope  or 
help  for  us  in  God.  And  O  how  ready  are  we  to  hearken  to 
him  in  this,  though  it  flies  in  the  face  of  Scripture  and  the  ex- 
perience of  the  faints.  It  behoves  us,  therefore,  to  know  and 
•beware  of  his  devices,  that  we  may  neither  be  betrayed  out  of 
our  life,  our  joy,  or  our  peace. 

3 .  Hence  we  may  fee,  that  in  a  time  of  general  declenfion 
in  the  churches  of  Chrift,  few,  very  few,  either  minifters  or  pri- 
vate Chriflians,  altogether  efcape  the  contagion  :  but,  on  the 
contrary,  the  moft  part  are  ready  to  be  carried  down  the 
iiream.  In  this  church  of  Sardis,  we  find,  not  only  the  an- 
gel or  mini  ftei,  but  the  greatePc  part  of  the  church  itfelf, 
with  having  a  name  to  live  and  yet  being  dead,  and 
.  were  but  afew  namevamor?  them  that  had  not  defiled 


%m  a  DISCOURSE  os 

_ 
their  garments.  My  brethren,  this  is  a  point'  that  equally 
concerns,  and  therefore  ftiould  affect  us  all.  When  things  are 
evidently  wrong  in  the  churches',  and  feem  to  tend  to  utter 
ruin,  it  is  an  ealy  matter  for  perfons  to  thr'ow  the  blame  off 
themfelves,  and  lay  it  on  others  :  yea,  frequently  none  are  more 
ready  to  do  this,  than  they  who  are  deepeft  in  the  provocation  ; 
and  fometimes  none  are  more  loudly  exclaimed  againft,  cr 
have  a  greater  lliare  of  the  blame  laid  at  their  door,  than  the 
few  names  who  have  not  defiled  their  garments.  Art  thou  /-;*, 
faid  Ahab  to  Elijah,  who  irovfotHh  Ij'racl  P  i.  Kings,  xviii.  17. 
Jeremiah  was  a  man  of  ftrife  and  contention  to  his  people,  and 
was  looked  upon  by  the  Jews  as  feeking  their  hurt  and  deftruc- 
tion.  The  plain  reafon  of  this  is,  becarfe  the  lives  and  con-, 
verfations  of  fuch  are  a  practical  reproof,  and  a  ftanding  tefti- 
mony  againft  backfliders  and  apoftates,  and  therefore  they  en- 
deavor to  blacken  and  mifreprcfent  them  as  much  as  poflible. 
However,  the  improvement  each  of  us  fhould  make  of  this 
point  is,  to  turn  inward,  to  fearch  and  try  our  own  ways,  and 
then  to  lay  our  hands  on  our  hearts,  and  to  fay,  what  have  I 
clone  ?  None  will  be  more  ready  to  do  fo  than  they  who  are 
rnoft  holy,  and  tender,  and  circumfpecl:  ;  and  none  ftand  fairer 
to  be  approved  of  God  in  the  end,  than  they  who  are  thus 
employed  ;  who  ^\re  mourning  in  fecret  on  account  of  their' 
own  fins,  and  the  fms  of  others  ;  and  are  ftanding  in  the  gap, 
to  prevent  the  Lord's  anger  from  breaking  in  like  a  flood. 
Blcifed  are  fucli  mourners  ;  for  they  fhall  be  comforted. 

4.  Hence  we  may  fee  what  an  awful  and  melancholy  thing 
it  is  for  perfons  to  take  up  with  a  name  to  live  while  they  are 
dead,  abfolutely  and  altogether  dead,  dead  in  trefpaffes  and 
fins  ;  who  have  a  form  of  godlinefs,  but  deny  and  are  ftran- 
gers  to  the  power  of  it ;  who  profefs  to  be  the  difciples  of 
Jefus  Chrift,  but  in  that  profeifion  are  only  deceiving  them-, 
felves  and  others.  It  was  no  doubt  a  cutting  word  which  our 
Lord  fpake  to  the  traitor  that  betrayed  him,  Friend,  wherefore 
/irt  thou  come  P  betrayefi  thou  the  Son  of?nan  -ivith  a  kifs  P  And 
O  how  dreadful  will  it  be  to  fuch  as  have  followed  Judas  in 
profeffing  to  be  the  friends  of  Chrift,  and  have  been  account- 
ed fo  by  men,  when  the  Lord  comes  to  lay  their  real  charac- 
ter open  before  men  and  angels,  if  they  have  not  been  left  to 
make  it  manifeft  themfelves,  before  they  went  out  of  the  • 
world,  as  Judas  did  ? 

The  improvement  which  all  honeft  hearted  Chriftians  will 
make  of  this,  will  be  to  make  them  more  earneftly  folicitour  to 


REV. 


in.   i. 


fearch  and  try  their  own  hearts,  that  they  may  fee  more  into 
the  deep  deceitfulnefs  thereof,  and  left  they  fhculd  be  deceiv- 
ed, (which  of  all  other  things  they  dread  moil,)  they  will  be 
looking  earaeftly  to  God  himfelf,  and  putting  the  work  in 
his  hand,  faying,  as  in  Pfal.  exxxix.  23,24.  Search  me,  O 
God,  Sec. 

5.  Hence  we  may  fee,   that   it  is  not  fimply   being  in   a 
gracious  ftate  will  preferve  perfens  from  partial  apoftacy,  and 
fpiritual  deadnefsin  an  hour  of  temptation.     Times  may  pafs 
over  churches,  even  the  pureft  of  them,    in  which  even  real 
Chriftians,wife  virgins, as  well  as  foolifh,may  fall  afleep,  Matth. 
xxv.  8.     And  as  it  is  not  fimply  being  in  a  gracious  itate  will 
preferve  perfons  from  this  evil,  fo  neither  is  it  the  exerciie  of 
gifts  or  the  maintaining  a  profefiion  of  religion  before  n 
forfome  may  have  a  high  name   in  this  refpeS,  and  yet 
fouls  may  be  in  a  languiihing  condition  before  God.     Nothing 
can  preferve  perfons  from  the  evils  I  new  fpeuk  of,   but  the 
immediate  and  continued  communications  of  the  fprrit  and 
grace  of  the  Lord  Jefus  :  and  we  have  no  ground  to  exec  H 
inch  communications  but  in  the  way  of  holy  fellowship  with 
God  in  him,  which  never  fails  to  be  accompanied  with  a  zealous 
regard  to  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jefus,  and  a  holy  tender  walk. 
Thefe  things  God  has  joined  together,  and  they  who  are  for 
feparating  them,   eidier  in  opinion  or  practice,   to  make  Waj 
for  an  indulgence  to  lults  of  any   kind,   fpiritual  deadnefs  is 
creeping  in  upon  them,  rottennefs  is  entering  into  their  bones. 
And  the  ufe  we  fhould  all  make  of  this,  we  may  fee  in  that 
word,   1  Cor.  x.  12.    Tberefiveylet  kimthalthinkethhe  Jiandeib^ 
take  heed  left  he  fall. 

Lafilyy  Hence  we  may  fee  what  reafon  the  befi  of  God's 
children  have  to  take  heed  to  themfelves,  and  to  beware  of 
every  thing  that  fo  much  as  borders  on  leaving  or  falling  from. 
their  firft  love,  or  has  a  tendency  to  make  them  lefs  tender  and 
circumfpect  in  their  walk  and  converfation.  The  not  adverting 
duly  to  this,  has  brought  on  fpiritual  deadnefs,  on  many  a  real 
Chriftian,  from  which  they  have  never  fully  recovered  in  this 
world  ;  but  have  gone  halting  to  their  graves.  This  truth 
Hands  confirmed,  not  only  by  many  inftances  left  on  record  in 
the  holy  Scripture,  but  alfo  in  the  experience  and  obfervation 
of  many  in  every  age.  O  the  need  that  all  have  to  watch 
ever  their  fpirits  and  their  ways,  and  walking  in  all  holy 
converfation  and  godlinefs,  to  pafs  the  time  of  their  rejourning 
C 


a  DISCOURSE  on 

in  fear.  Verily,  it  is  impoffible  the  fpiritual  life  can  bt 
maintained  with  any  comfortable  meafure  of  ftrength  and 
vigor  without  it.  They  who  think  otherwise,  and  frame 
their  conduct  accordingly,  do  but  deceive  themfelves,  and  are 
certainly  in  the  fnare  of  the  devil.  I  conclude  this  ufe  of 
information  with  that  Scripture,  Jude  ver.  20  21.  But  ye, 
beloved^  building  up  yiurfehes  en  your  mqfi  holy  fait':,  praying  in  the 
Holy  Ghqfty  keep  yourfhes  in  tie  love  of  God,  looking  for  the  mercy 
of  our  Lord  Jsfus  Chrifl  unto  eternal  life. 

A  fecond  ufe  may  be  by  way  of  Lamentation. 

And  here,  my  brethren,  may  we  not,  by  looking  around  us, 
and  taking  a  juir.  furvey  of  things,  either  with  refpect  to  the 
itate  of  matters  in  the  churches  ot  Chriit  in  general,  or  among 
ourfelves  in  particular  ;  may  we  not,  I  fayr  adopt  and  take  up 
that  lamentation  of  the  prophet,  Jer.  ix\  1 .  0  that  my  head  were 
ivaters,  and  mine  eyes  a  fountain  of  tears,  that  I  might  nveep  day 
and  nigbt  for  the  fain  of  the  daughter  of  my  people.  And  Lam. 
iv.  1.7.  Hovj  is  the  gold  become  dim  I  Hozv  is  the  moft  fine 
:  banged  !  Her  Kazaritss  ivere  purer  than  Jhoiu,  they  were 
whiter  than  milk,  Sec.  their  "cifiige  is  blacker  than  a  coal.  May 
we  net  fay,  Wee  is  on  its,  our  leannefs,  our  leannefs,  it  rifeth  up 
and  teltifieth  to  our  faces,  what  our  fpiritual  date  and  condition 
is.  When  we  look  abroad  to  the  ft  ate  of  the  churches  of  Chrift 
in  general,  or  among  ourfelves,  Oh  what  woful  departures 
from  the  truth  and  holinefs  of  the  gofpel,  prefent  themfelves  to 
us,  to  fuch  a  degree,  that  they  mud  either  be  blind,  or  they 
mud  wink  very  hard,  who  do  not  fee,  and  are  not  fully  con- 
vinced of  them.  The  enemy  has,  for  feveral  years,  been  break- 
ing  in  like  a  flood,  and  feems  to  be  aiming  at  lapping  the  very 
foundations  of  Chriftianity  ;  and,  alas,  while  he  is  thusfowing 
tares,  are  not  the  molt  part  afleep  ?  or  at  lead  very  few  jealous 
for  the  Lord  God  of  hods,  and  contending  earnedly  for  the 
faith  once  committed  to  the  faints  ?  Jude,  v.  3.  And  has  not 
theconfequrnceof  thisbeen  a  general  loofenefs  and  untendernefs 
of  walk  among  profefilngChridians^to  fuch  a  degree,  that  we 
are  hardly  to  be  known  from  the  world  lying  in  wickednefs  ? 
May  not  our  hearts,  therefore,  meditate  terror,  when  we  think 
what  the  end  of  thefe  things  may  be  ?  left  the  Lord  fhould  be 
provoked  to  fay  concerning  us,  as  of  his  people  of  old,  Jer.  v. 
9.  Shall  not  I  vijit  for  thefe  things,  faith  the  Lord  ?  and  fl? all  not 
ny  fid  be  cienged  vi  fuch  a  nation  as  this  P 


REV.  iii.  i.  %$ 

And  when  we  come  nearer  home,  and  view  the  flate  of 
matters  in  our  own  hearts,  Oh  what  ground  of  humiliation 
and  mourning  have  we  ?  We  have  a  name  to  live,  it  is  true, 
and  I  truil  there  are  more  than  a  few  names  among  us  who 
are  really  alive  and  lively  ;  but  alas  !  is  there  not  much 
fpiritual  deadnefs  and  barrennefs  at  the  fame  time  ?  Are  there 
not  many  of  whom  it  may  be  truly  laid  they  have  left  their 
firft  love  ;  the  zeal,  the  life,  the  tendernefs  of  their  youth  is  in 
a  great  meafure  gone.  Alas,  has  not  the  pale  and  wan  colour 
of  death,  come  up  into  the  faces  of  many  who  once  appeared 
lively  and  fpiritual  ?  And  how  can  it  be  otherwife,  if  perfons 
have  their  hearts  finking  into  and  racked  with  the  cares  and 
love  of  this  world  ?  or  are  indulging  lufts  and  fenfual 
gratifications  of  any  kind  in  a  fmful  way  ?  or  are  conforming 
themfelves  to  the  world  in  its  vain  and  vile  cuftoms  ?  Can  grace 
grow  and  thrive  in  fa  eh  perfons  ?  Is  it  poffible  that  fuch  can 
be  lively  and  fpiritual,  and  can ,  maintain  fellowfhip  and 
communion  with  God  in  holy  duties  ?  Surely  no.  Thefe  things 
are  for  a  lamentation,  and  fnall  be  for  a  lamentation, 

Ufe  3.      Of  Exhortation. 

From  what  has  been  faid,  let  us  all  be  exhorted  to  fearch 
and  try  our  ways,  that  we  may  fee  whether  or  not,  or  how  far 
the  charge  and  accufation  in  the  text  belongs  unto  us  ;  and 
who  among  us  can  fay  it  does  not  ?  furely  there  are  rare 
and  happy  fouls,  who  are  exceptions  in  this  cafe  But,  as  I 
apprehend,  it  belongs  in  one  refpecl  or  another  to  by  far  the 
greateft  part,  even  of  them  who  have  a  name  to  live  among 
us,  then  it  becomes  us  to  take  with  it,  and  turn  to  the  Lord 
from  whom  we  have  deeply  revolted  ;  and  if  we  would  do 
this  to  purpofe,  and  in  a  right  manner,  it  muft  be  done. 

1.  In  a  believing  way  and  manner.  As  faith  is  the  mean 
of  life  at  firft,  fo  it  is  the  mean  of  quickening  and  reviving  in 
all  the  fits  of  after  deadnefs.  Let  us  therefore  bring  our  dead 
cold  hearts  to  the  quickening  promifes  of  the  new  covenant, 
and  fay  unto  the  holy  and  quickening  Spirit,  as  Pfal.  cxix.  25. 
Our  fouls  cleav*  unto  the  duj?,  quicken  us,  according  to  iky  word. 
Various  are  the  promifes  which  are  made  in  the  word  to  the 
prefent  cafe.  Ezek.  xxxvii.  1,-15.  is  full  to  this  purpofe,  fo 
is  alfo  Hof.  xiv.  6,  7.  Let  us  firmly  believe  and  plead  thefe, 
and  fuch  like  promifes,  with  particular  application  to  ourfelves, 
and  fay  with  the  church,  Jer?  iii.  22,  Bihld  «iw  qqtm  unto  ths^for 


124  a  DISCOURSE  on,  Uc. 

thou  art  the  Lord  our  God,  and  Hof.  ii.  7.  I  will  go  andreturr. 
to  my  firft  hujband,  for  then  it  was  better  with  ?ne  than  now. 

2.  With  deep  contrition  and  bitter  repentance.  This  follows 
the  other  of  courfe,  and  will  be  a  certain  proof  of  the  truth  and 
genuinenefs  of  our  faith,  They  are  both  joined  together,  Joel 
ii.  12,  13.  Therefore,  alfo  now,  faith  the  Lord,  turn  ye  unto  me,  &c. 
with  fafi'mg  and  with  weeping,  and  with  mourning,  and  rent 
your  hearts  and  not  your  garments,  and  turn  unto  the  Lord  your 
Cod,  &c. 

3.  With  firm  refolutions,  in  the  ftrength  of  divine  grace,  to 
Teform  whatever  we  have  feen  and  been  convinced  was  wrong 
in  our  practice  and  walk,  and  with  holy  endeavours  after  new 
obedience.  Surely  it  is  meet  to  he  fa  id- unto  God,  I  will  not  offend 
any  mere  ;  that  which  I  fee  not,  teach  thou  me  ;  if  I  have  do7ie 
iniquity  I  will  do  no  more,  Job  xxxiv.  31  32.  This  will  indeed 
be  a  proof  of  our  fmcerity. .  It  is  only  in  fo  far  as  convictions 
and  repentance  operate  in  this  manner  that  they  are  faving 
and  efficacious. 

WRITE  to  Sardis,  (faith  the  Lord,) 

And  write  what  he  declares, 
He  whofe  fpirit,  and  whofe  word, 
Upholds  the  feven  ftars  : 
*'  All  thy  works  and  ways  I  fearch* 
Find  thy  zeal  and  love  decay'd  ; 
Thou  artcall'd  a  living  church, 
But  thou  art  cold  and  dead. 
Watch,  remember,  feek,  and  ftrive, 

Exert  thy  former  pains  : 
Let  thy  timely  care  revive, 

And  ftrengthen  what  remains  : 
Cleanfe  thine  heart,  thy  works  amend, 
Former  times  to  mind  recal, 
Left  my  fudden  flroke  defcend, 
And  fmite  thee  once  for  all. 
Yet  I  remember  now  in  thee 

A  few  that  are  upright ; 

Thefe  my  Father's  face  fhall  fee, 

And  walk  with  me  in  white  i 

When  in  judgment  I  appear, 

They  for  mine  will  be  confeft  ; 

Let  my  faithful  fervants  hear, 

And  woe  be  to  the  reft.". 


<ms? 


